I got caught up in work towards the end of last week, and also had some family health matters to deal with. So here is an extended mash-up of all the topics that have been on my chest most recently:
- Some interesting ideas from Miro Cernetig regarding how the social housing component of the Olympic Village should be handled, but here are a couple of questions in response that should be considered before removing it entirely from the mix: 1) If the units are put up for sale, how much cost would be involved in upgrading them to compete with those being offered by private ownership? (NOTE: from what I am told, they are nice, but not what anyone would refer to as luxury; a view of a courtyard as opposed to any water, linoleum flooring, a different quality of appliances than other suites, etc.) 2) How much will the cheaper units dilute the demand for the others, and subsequently, to what degree will the city’s cost recovery plan as financier be compromised? 3) Under what pretense and parameters would charitable status need to achieve to be granted? And how long will it take? 4) How can units that rent out for $1,500 per month be considered new affordable housing options? 5) If the market rental landlord scheme uses future profits to to build the homeless shelters and the social housing, how long will it be until we actually get new developments built…10 years? Maybe 15?
- It is funny to see how Vision Vancouver’s continued success in polling is stirring up the wingnuts behind blogs who think they are the “official opposition.” The fact of the matter is that blogs (including this one) occupy a small pocket of irrelevance fueled by internet flame wars, and regardless of whether the MSM pick up on things (they do from time to time, as was evidenced by the many calls City Hall got from journalists about this post, all filled with curiosity about its legitimacy), the attacks are going nowhere. Vision Vancouver has a achieved a reasonable balance between a progressive lense, fiscal management and tough decision making, and populism that is proving to be a political success. And although I acknowledged last week that a lack of opposition is hurting the agenda’s legitimacy, the fact is that Vision presents the only viable for choice with people at this point. So to all concerned (and you know who you are), please continue on with your blogging strategy, because directing all of that enthusiasm towards in the basements of your internet followings is much appreciated.
- An update on this post (and attached comments) detailing fabrications about a fire that was “actually part of the Canada Pavilion” (allegedly): I have just received word from a contracted worker who dealt with electrical issues at both of the LiveCity venues during the Olympics that not only is the above claim about the fire false, but that other accusations being made about the electrical installations are also not exactly how he remembers things. I will be interviewing this individual in the next day or so, and publishing the results in a post over the coming days. PLEASE stay tuned…
- Check out this document from the Vancouver School Board, and more specifically, flip to page 8. I will be putting up a more detailed post on the matter over the coming week, but the province’s spin about how “[a]verage per-pupil funding is…expected to increase by an estimated $105 from $8,196 this year to $8,301 in 2010-11 – a record high” a load of crap. Check out the top section in that graph entitled “Costs Not Funded by the Province”. The rising teacher’s costs was negotiated with the BCTF and the province, and the province is now not living up to its commitments, the MSP increases are also not apparently going to be covered by the provincial government – thereby forcing the hands of cash-strapped school boards, and the carbon offsets expectations on school boards is absolutely ridiculous. I will get into more detail as I get futher information directly from the source or hardship.
- The UFC is slated to feature Liddell vs. Ortiz and its main event for the June 12 Vancouver card – according to UFC President Dana White. “Showdown” Joe thinks differently. I am going to reserve comment for fear of being flooded once again by fans of “Canada’s expert” on UFC.
- I just cannot contain my excitement over “a very interesting story on Vision’s propaganda chief…that will have you wondering who on earth he or Vision Vancouver think they are fooling…,” soon to be posted by the “first ever blogger for CTV Vancouver” (the fact that that gig only last a VERY short time for reasons I will not get into is of course not important). I anxiously am counting the minutes to this exclusive!
